Fiorentina travel to the north east to take on Udinese this Sunday night in Serie A action looking to keep their sky high morale among the clouds.
Their Italo train got back to Florence on Thursday night to rapturous applause from their waiting fans after they easily swept Roma aside at the Stadio Olimpico for a 3-0 win in the Europa League.
The celebrations afterwards continued into the night and Vincenzo Montella’s side are riding the crest of a Mohamed Salah-powered wave at present as they look to carry their formidable continental form over into Serie A.
Udinese have not made the Friuli a fortress this season while the Gigliati have been impressive on the road, losing just four times in the league so far on their travels this season and they will be looking to extend that as Montella looks to get one over on one of the country’s other most impressive homegrown talents.
Andrea Stramaccioni has admitted that this campaign could have gone better and has lamented the inconsistency that has his side sitting closer to the relegation zone than they are to the European places – something the Zebrette have frequently occupied and even competed in during recent seasons.
Now it is the Viola who are representing Serie A on the European stage and waving the proud purple flag as they do so although there is always a danger they could be caught cold with that age old hangover from their Roma victory when they take on the Friuliani.
Aside from the continually sidelined Giuseppe Rossi and Ciprian Tatarasanu between the sticks, the Fiorentina juggernaut will travel more or less full strength although David Pizarro faces a late fitness test if he is to take his place on the field with Milan Badelj set to retain his place in the middle of the park.
Alberto Gilardino also looks set to lead the line ahead of Alessandro Diamanti and Josip Ilicic in behind as both Mario Gomez and Khouma Babacar will have to be contented with a place on the bench.
Emanuel Agyemang-Badu is the major absentee for Stramaccioni’s side through suspension although his absence will not be so keenly felt if Allan puts in the kind of performance that has Daniele Prade and the rest of Sunday’s visiting party viewing him with interest.
Maurizio Domizzi also looks likely to miss out through injury although Panagiotis Kone could make it in time but will be evaluated on Sunday before a final decision is made on him.
A win for Fiorentina, combined with other results going their way, could see them move into the European spots.
Form Guide: Udinese (D-W-L-L-L) Fiorentina (W-L-W-D-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Udinese: Karnezis; Piris, Danilo, Wague; Widmer, Allan, Pinzi, Guilherme, Pasquale; Fernandes; Di Natale.
Fiorentina: Neto; Tomovic, Rodriguez, Basanta, Pasqual; Valero, Badelj, Fernandez; Diamanti, Ilicic; Gilardino.
